Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bùi Hoàng Phương addresses the meeting.  — Photo baochinhphu.vn

HÀ NỘI — The science and technology sector posted strong growth in January, with total revenue estimated at more than VNĐ464.1 trillion (nearly US$6.2 billion), up 23.3 per cent from the same period last year, the Ministry of Science and Technology said on Thursday.

The sector’s contribution to the country's gross domestic product was estimated at VNĐ124.1 trillion, an increase of 33.3 per cent year-on-year, according to figures released at the ministry’s regular monthly press conference chaired by Deputy Minister of Science and Technology Bùi Hoàng Phương.

The total workforce in the sector was estimated at 2.38 million people, including about 208,000 engaged in scientific research and technology development.

In January, the ministry submitted eight policy documents to the Government and the Prime Minister for issuance, including one resolution, four decrees and three decisions, as part of efforts to improve the legal and institutional framework for science and technology development.

The ministry also issued a circular guiding the implementation of special mechanisms and policies aimed at creating breakthroughs in law enforcement organisation.

The ministry said it rolled out several initiatives during the month, including a programme to promote secure digital services using Việt Nam’s national '.vn' domain for individuals, businesses and households nationwide during the 2026-30 period.

Looking ahead to February, the ministry said it will prioritise the implementation of a Politburo resolution on science, technology, innovation and digital transformation, while preparing for the first meeting of a Government steering committee overseeing these areas.

It will also finalise and submit guiding documents for several key laws, including those on artificial intelligence, intellectual property and technology transfer.

At the meeting, Trần Thị Thu Hiền, deputy director of the ministry's Vietnam Internet Network Information Centre, briefed on Circular No 48/2025/TT-BKHCN, issued on December 25, 2025, which guides the management and use of internet resources.

The circular was developed in line with the Government’s policies on digital transformation, private sector development and administrative reform, and implements provisions under Decree No 147/2024/NĐ-CP and Decree No 115/2025/NĐ-CP on the management of internet services, online information and internet resources, including the auction of telecommunications codes, numbers and the national '.vn' domain name.

Hiền said the circular completes the regulatory framework for internet resource management in a more open, transparent and efficient manner, with citizens and businesses placed at the centre of service delivery.

She added that the new rules would help expand Việt Nam’s '.vn' domain ecosystem, strengthen digital identification and compliance, and reduce misuse, while supporting the development of a next-generation internet infrastructure. — VNS